Forum

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Top Daesh commander Omar al-shishani killed by U.S. airstrikes

The U.S.-led coalition battling the Daesh or Islamic State group in Iraq has confirmed the death of top militant Omar al-Shishani. The read-bearded ethnic Chechen was one of the most prominent Daesh commanders, serving as the group’s military commander for the territory it controls in Syria. He may have also become the group’s overall military chief.

A U.S. airstrike targeted al-Shishani on March 4th near the town of al-Shaddadi in Syria

The United Nations estimated that around 30,000 so-called foreign fighters from 100 countries are actively working with the Daesh, Al-Qaeda or other extremist groups. Daesh fighters include 3,300 Western Europeans and 100 or so Americans.

Despite the U.S.-led campaign of coalition airstrikes in both Iraq and Syria, Daesh controls large areas, including Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul and also Raqqa, the group’s main stronghold in Syria.